


Drop the Bean

by AeBeSeeDe



Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Aged-Up Character, Barista AU, Collegestuck, Developing Relationship, Flirting, M/M, Pianist John, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-07-22
Updated: 2012-09-01
Packaged: 2017-11-10 11:15:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/465643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeBeSeeDe/pseuds/AeBeSeeDe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bro decides to go on vacation, and he leaves Dave alone to manage their coffee shop alone. But can Dave handle the place on his own?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_“Only one thing is certain about coffee: Wherever it is grown, sold, brewed, and consumed, there will be lively controversy, strong opinions, and good conversation.” -Mark Pendergrast_

 

There are three drinks that bring people together: Tea, alcohol, and coffee. The first is enjoyed much more in the south and overseas. The second isn’t great for making a first impression. But the third has worked wonders on transforming two strangers into two friends. “We should go grab coffee sometime,” has been used often for a reason. It works.

It was the first day of July and Bro’s vacation to a humid, tropical island. Without a doubt, it would be interesting and entertaining to hear the tale about the quirky man’s journey to a foreign place. He was probably having the time of his life as he relaxed with his toes in the warm sand and his arm around his favorite puppet. Maybe he was even drinking a fruity concoction. 

But this isn’t a story about that. This is the tale of the little brother who stayed in Washington to manage their coffee shop, Drop the Bean. Would he have loved to tag along with his brother? Not really. But it would have been cool of him to at least offer. What a raging douche. 

Coffee had never been his drink of choice. In his opinion, energy drinks were much better when he wanted to be energized. Hell, apple juice was tastier, and soda had a better bite. Coffee was alright, but in the northwest, it sold like brown gold. The little brother had no problem with making a profit off of the substance.

As soon as said sibling opened the doors and switched on the lights to their quaint coffee shop, he knew what he needed to do. Every morning was the same, but he didn’t mind much. It paid the bills to their apartment, and for a month, he got to be his own boss. The blonde couldn’t bring himself to complain much. 

The first thing he did was don his tan-colored apron. A loop draped over his neck, and he knotted it in the back. On the top right, “Dave” was stitched in little white letters. To be honest, he would have preferred a comic sans font, but it was in papyrus. 

After that, he started the music. The young man knew that he could have done this last, but the place was hella boring with no people. Getting the coffee shop started definitely required some ill beats, which is what the place was known for. During the day, they served coffee to the morning crowd. On weekends, they typically stayed open as a lounge with guest musicians. 

Since they were near a university, they unsurprisingly drew in a bunch of students. The older crowd usually avoided the place like the plague, and Dave couldn’t imagine why. Maybe they were allergic to loud bass. 

Shrugging to himself, he poured some coffee grounds into the machines, added water, and he started them. Dave took inventory on the cups, creams, and milk as he waited for the pots to brew. Ten minutes until he opened for the day.

As soon as opening time came around, the blonde man hopped off of the counter he was sitting on and went to unlock the glass doors. The sky was a dim shade of cobalt. It was perfect for seven in the morning. Dave yawned and leaned against the open door as he gazed upwards. There were a couple clouds floating upwards, and as he tried to figure out what they resembled, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, and a curse fell from his mouth. “Shit!”

“Hello, Dave. I wasn’t intending to take you away from your fantasies, but I was wondering when I could order a cup of coffee. I do hope that I’m not being a burden to you,” the feminine voice responded in an amused tone. It belonged to his half-sister, Rose Lalonde.

While Dave had decided to help his brother with Drop the Bean, Rose had made the move to go to the local university and study Psychology. But it wasn’t like he was jealous of her or anything. More school just sounded like a drag.

“Lalonde, what are you doing here so early? No, scratch that. What are you doing here at all? This place has a strict ‘no snarky broads’ policy. I think you need to leave.” Dave spread his arms, blocking off the entrance before Rose just ducked under them to step inside.

“Our brother told me to make sure that you were keeping the place in its proper condition.” She spun around slowly, looking the place over. Dave let out a slow sigh as the blonde woman pretended to inspect the coffee shop.

As usual, band merchandise and records covered most of the walls in Drop the Bean. Under those, the walls were a midnight color that matched the floors. The coffee bar was wooden and polished while the stage for artists was hidden from sight with a red velvet curtain. Small tables dotted the floor, as well as a couple of old couches.

“Well, I see that no one has been injured yet. However, you should expect me to stop by every once in a while. I don’t want this place going south because of your negligence,” she concluded as she approached the counter. “And a medium coffee, please. Black.”

“Don’t worry about it. I love this place almost as much as Bro does. There’s no way I’m letting it go to shit just because he’s not here to watch over me,” he explained to his sister as he poured the coffee into a paper cup. “I’m a grown man, you know.”

“Yes, you are a grown man with a blog and a regular webcomic. I am fully aware, Dave. We’ve been over this before.” She accepted the coffee and handed him a bill that she had fished out of her purse. “Yet, as they say, ‘When the cat is away, the mice will play.’ I’m not trying to put pressure on you by any means, but please realize that your brother is putting his trust in you. Don’t screw this up.”

“It’s just a month. I don’t think anyone is capable of running this shop into the ground in just thirty days. We’re always busy.” As if to prove his point, a young couple wondered into the store and gazed up at the menu behind the counter. “So thanks for checking up on me, but I have this shit covered. Come again.”

The blonde college student rolled her eyes. “If you need any assistance, you know how to contact me. Good luck.” With that, she sipped her coffee and departed.

“I won’t need any luck,” Dave mumbled to himself before the couple walked up to his counter. Then, he spoke louder. “Yo. Welcome to Drop the Bean. You guys see anything on the menu that you like?”

 

At a little after four (because Dave was always lenient with closing times), the doors were locked and shut. Dave sighed loudly and kneaded the palms of his hands with his thumbs as he made his way out to his car. It had been a long nine hours.

The blonde man drove a beat-up Honda Civic. He had got it as a gift from his brother when he had begun driving four years ago. If you looked past the many dents and chips in the red paint, it wasn’t a bad car. As long as it started, Dave was fine with it.

The route back to his apartment was so familiar that he didn’t have to think about it at all. Every turn was automatic, and every stop was predictable. Instead, his mind wondered to the events of the day.

It had been a lot more difficult than he had anticipated. Doing the work that he and his Bro typically shared had been hectic. At one point, a woman had complained to him that she had been waiting twenty minutes for her latte. (She seemed like a bitch to begin with, but Dave still didn’t want to lose a customer.) With a small frown, he adjusted his aviators further up the bridge of his nose and watched the traffic around him. 

Then, he had nearly sneezed while holding a fresh pot of coffee in his hand. Of course, the blonde played it off as a joke to the customer, but that could have turned out terribly. Hopefully, he wasn’t coming down with something. Now would be the worst time to get sick. 

As he pulled into his designated parking space, he leaned back in the driver’s seat and tried to relax the tension in his neck and shoulders. Tomorrow would go better. He was sure of it. But tonight, he would celebrate by ordering pizza for dinner and watching a couple of movies on Netflix. 

Dave didn’t realize how much better tomorrow would turn out to be.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning ritual began the same as the morning before. After unlocking the doors, Dave waited behind the counter patiently, and he drummed his fingers on the countertop to the beat of the familiar song that was playing over the speakers. 

While yesterday had been a nightmare, he was pretty sure that today would be easier. Nothing could be as bad as the hell he went through the day before. Besides, Tuesdays were never as busy for Drop the Bean.

It wasn’t ten minutes before his first customer came in. And then his second. And then his third. Soon, there was a line that stretched out the door, and Dave was struggling to keep up again. Perhaps this Tuesday was an exception to the rule.

“Jesus Christ! Shit, fuck, dicks,” the man spat as he poured coffee on himself in his hurry. A girl that was sitting near the counter giggled at him, and he scowled as he ran cool water over the injury. It was a first degree burn at worse, but it still hurt like a bitch. Dave knew that he had to be careful. His fingers weren’t as dexterous as Bro’s were. 

Quickly, he added a bit of milk to the coffee he poured, some ice, and then he set it on the counter. A short glance at the name scribbled in sharpie on the cup reminded him who it belonged to.

“Jessica, come get your iced coffee,” he shouted before turning to take the next customer. His mind raced as he tried to keep up with the steady flow. After a few more orders were filled, Dave let out a breath of relief because he could finally see the end of the line again.

“What do you want, gorgeous?” He asked to the next person in line. It was more out of habit than anything. When Dave looked up from the counter and saw the expression on the other man’s face, he almost laughed.

His hair was an ebony color that matched the black of the records hanging on the wall. It was a little messy, but it wasn’t too distracting. His blue eyes were squinted in thought behind the rectangular frames of his glasses. Was he actually irritated that Dave had complimented him?

“I’m not a…” The man began, but he quickly changed his mind with a shake of his head. “Is your cappuccino any good here? That’s what I usually order at other places.” His teeth worried into his bottom lip as he glanced up at the menu again. Oh. So he was a newcomer. 

“Yeah. Everything you see up there is pretty good. Why do you think we’re so crowded all of the time? This is the best coffee you’re going to get within twenty miles of the university.” Dave glanced at another name. “Martin! Your tripplo is done, dude.”

“Well, what do you recommend?” The man on the other side of the counter asked with his hands in his pockets. He couldn’t have been older than Dave. He was probably grabbing some coffee on the way to his class. The blonde quickly thought of the easiest concoction since the guy was starting to hold up the line.

“Our espresso is top-notch. It’s high-quality shit and pretty cheap too,” he told him. The raven-haired guy looked unsure, but he agreed to it and made his order to-go. Dave nodded, and in his hurry, he had forgotten to get the man’s name. When his coffee was ready, he hesitated, cup in hand, as he thought of a way to grab his attention.

“Hey, hot stuff!” Dave yelled across the shop, waving his free arm over at him. Of course, the man with glasses didn’t look over. Instead, he stared at the wall at concert poster for a group called Chromeo. But the blonde was adamant on capturing his attention.

He let out a loud whistle and tried again. “Your espresso is ready, stud,” he called out to him. At that point, a stranger nudged him, and the man looked up with an expression of horror. “Yes, you. Come get your order.”

Dave expected to get a smile out of him. Instead, his expression was peeved, and he walked, tight-lipped, up to the counter. But as he got closer, Dave swore that he saw a hint of scarlet on his cheeks. A smile came to the blonde’s face. He wondered how aggravated he could make him until the guy would finally say something about it.

“Sorry, I didn’t get your name,” he explained as he handed over the paper cup. “Normally, I ask when I take your order, but I guess it slipped my mind. My bad.”

“It’s John,” he replied instantly in a harsh tone, and Dave shrugged in response as he held the paper cup out to him.

“It’s a little late now, beautiful. But I’ll remember for the next time you come in.” The man, John, huffed at the sixth word and snatched the cup out of Dave’s hand.

“There isn’t going to be a next time unless this espresso is heavenly. I have really high expectations for this place,” John told him as he face began to relax. Oh, no. This was the most fun that Dave had in weeks, and he wasn’t going to let it end now.

“It isn’t the only thing that’s heavenly in here. I think I see an angel with blue eyes,” he said as he added ice to another person’s drink. The blush on the man’s cheeks returned tenfold, and his gaze hardened. Dave bit the inside of his lip to stop himself from breaking into a wide grin.

“Do you flirt with everyone who comes here? Look, I am not a homosexual. I’m not interested,” he informed him with tight lips. John hadn’t taken a sip of his coffee yet.

“Not yet.”

With a frustrated groan, John turned on his heel with his eyes glued to the tile floor, and he marched out of the shop in a hurry.

Dave was certain that the guy wouldn’t be back again. He might have lost a customer for life, but it was worth it to see his flustered expression. And when he was honest with himself, he had only been half-joking about the flirting.

With a laugh in his voice, he stared at the next person in line. Suddenly, his mood had been lifted through the roof. “Sorry about the wait. The shop’s been crazy today. Do you want something on the house?”


	3. Chapter 3

As the next seven days went by at Drop the Bean, it eventually got easier and easier to manage. Dave wasn’t exactly sure why. Maybe the crowds died down. Maybe he was quicker on his feet. Or perhaps it just took a little time to get used to running the place on his own.

Whatever it was, the blonde barista found himself with a lot of spare time on that Tuesday afternoon. He sat on the back counter in front of the coffee machines (which was probably against at least three health code violations), and he tapped the beat of the fast electronic music onto the cabinets idly. 

With a quick glance at the clock, he realized that he still had thirty minutes until closing. Dave seriously considered closing the shop up early for the first time in a long while. But then he noticed that the door was opening.

Within a few seconds, he was standing straight. Dave unconsciously smoothed out the front of his tan apron and adjusted his aviator sunglasses as a couple of people stepped inside. One of them looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite remember why.

Then, it hit him. A guy and a girl casually wondered into the shop, but the guy was someone he had met before. It was the dude that he had a blast flustering a week prior. James? Joe? Jim? It was something along those lines.

Was the woman walking with him his girlfriend? She had the same ebony-colored hair that the man did, but it was much longer. The glasses that she wore were an oversized version of Harry Potter’s, and her large eyes were an emerald green. It wasn’t her that approached the counter though.

“So… Do you come here often?” He asked as the man with rectangular frames approached the counter. He looked pretty fly. Instead of a plain t-shirt and shorts like last time, he was dressed in a nice-looking pair of jeans and a dark polo shirt. Maybe he was on a date. Dave ignored the weird feeling he got when he thought of that possibility. 

“Actually, no. It’s only my second time. I’m pretty sure I told you last week that it was my first. Does caffeine screw up your memory, man? Anyway, we want two Americanos,” the man told him before quickly adding, “It’s for John.” Not only was he unfazed, but he was also poking fun at the blonde. Hm. He decided to step his game up a bit.

Dave told himself that the only reason he was doing this was because it was nice to see John get embarrassed and blush. It was funny. He wasn’t against dating men, but he wasn’t about to get attached to this guy with a girlfriend.

“What’s a stud like you doing in a place like this?” He asked while he started to prepare their drinks (as slowly as he could.) The other man’s cheeks definitely had a shade of red to them, and the woman giggled from where she stood a few feet away. Giggling at his schmoozing was a good sign. Dave hoped that they were just friends.

“I saw your sign outside. That’s actually why I came in,” John explained to him, clearly choosing to ignore his question. “You know, the one about the live music on weekends. Can you tell me more about that?”

“So Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday evening we have local musicians come up and play their shit on that covered stage over there. It’s two bucks at the door if you want to hear. We also magically transform this counter into a bar, so you can drink to your heart’s content. If you come this weekend, you might get one on the house.” Dave took his time picking out two paper cups.

“I’m twenty,” the man replied quickly with a little frown. “Isn’t it illegal to buy alcohol for a minor?”

“Hey, we’re the same age,” Dave informed him. “But if you forgot your ID at home, I could totally believe that you were old enough.”

“Yeah, okay. I’m actually wondering about something else though. See, I sing and play piano. Jade, my sister, plays pretty great bass.” The girl behind him gave a little wave. Oh. It was his sister. His mood lifted. “And I have a friend that plays drums with us sometimes. But what does it take to get up on stage?” 

Dave put lids on their coffees, set them down in front of John, and he grabbed a heavy logbook from under the counter. “Do you guys even have a setlist?” The barista asked him as he flipped to this weekend’s date.

“Of course we have a setlist!” He told him confidently before turning to look at Jade. “Um. Right?”

“Yeah! We have like a billion songs that we could play. John has a really nice voice if that helps anything,” she mentioned, and the man looked down.

“…I mean, I’m not bad or anything.”

“If you cut it down from a billion songs to an hour’s worth, I have a slot open this Friday for you guys.” The rest of the time that weekend was booked, but he was surprised that he even had that slot open. “Is that too early?”

“No, that’s perfect! Do you have a piano on site, or should I bring my keyboard?” John asked as he sipped at his Americano, and he gazed over at the red velvet curtain. Dave hopped over the front of counter to show him(, and his brother’s voice in his head told him that it would have been safer and cleaner to go around the back).

As the blonde pulled the rope to the side of the stage, the curtains parted. They revealed a well-kept upright piano and a set of drums with a stool.

“This is what we let you use,” Dave began as he sat on the side of the stage, legs dangling over the edge. “I’m not going to stop you from bringing a keyboard though. We also provide mics and shit, but you’re responsible for amps.”

John nodded slowly before ascended the few steps up to the stage. He stared at the piano with a careful fascination, like an appraiser inspecting an old vase on Antique’s Roadshow. He lightly trailed his fingertips along the top of it before he took a seat. “May I?”

“Is it true what they say about piano players?” Dave asked instead of answering his question. He couldn’t stop the slow smile that came to his face.

“Um. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” John told him with a suspicious expression. “If this is another stupid pick-up line…”

“I’ve just heard that skilled pianists finger fast.” As soon as the words escaped his mouth, John stood from the piano like it was on fire and marched off of the stage. He was having none of his shit today.

“Jade, deal with… Ask him about the money part. I’ll be out in the car,” he said quickly as he hurried towards the door. Dave snickered, and when he looked over, he realized that the woman was laughing too. 

“Sorry about John. He’s…” She shrugged her shoulders with a smile as she sat beside him on the stage. “So are we going to get paid for this? We’re just broke college students here, Dave.”

“There’s a tip jar. Usually, people get anywhere from ten to a few hundred dollars in tips. It all depends on the crowd’s mood,” he said as he slid off and stood. Then, he added something different entirely. “What’s John’s problem? That’s the second time he’s ran out on me.”

“Haha! He’s such a dork sometimes,” Jade said with a grin. “He’s just not all that eager to-” She was interrupted by the sound of a car horn. “Ugh! I better go. John's too impatient.”

“Wait!” Dave ran over to the counter and grabbed a pen. “Do you have a Pesterchum or something so that I can talk to you about this later?” Her grin only got wider, and she nodded enthusiastically. 

“Yeah. I do. It’s ectoBiologist,” she told him as she opened the door. Dave jotted that down on the back of his hand. “And don’t worry! He likes you a lot,” Jade added before she promptly left.

“Oh. Okay,” the blonde said to no one as he recapped the pen. Wait… What? John liked him a lot.

He was caught entirely off-guard by those last five words. What did that even mean? Did John like him in a friendly way? To be honest, they hadn’t spoke to each other much at all. Perhaps he actually enjoyed it when he flirted with him. But if that was the case, why didn’t he react accordingly? But John liked him a lot. The five words echoed in his mind as he made his way back to his apartment.

Just as he stepped inside, his cell phone rang. Without checking the number, he answered and held the phone to his ear.

“This is Ben Stiller. Make it fast. I’m busy filming right now.” Jesus, he was hungry. Dave realized that he had completely skipped lunch. He immediately went to the pantry.

“This is Rose. If you could put my brother on, that would be ideal.” Ramen was the dinner of champions.

“Lalonde. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s nice to hear from you. Drop the Bean has been kicking my ass all week,” he told her, dropping the act completely. “I’ve finally got it sort of under control, but for a while it was really wack up in there.”

“Yes, I actually might have missed talking to my brother as well. But I’ve been occupied with my summer classes,” she informed him. “You know, it isn’t bad to ask for help every once in a while. I’m sure I could find someone who’s willing to work alongside you.”

“Are you kidding? No. No way. This has always been a Strider-run business. Thanks but no thanks.”

“Perhaps you could forget about your pride for a moment and consider the business. It’s really more like a three person job.” Hm. Should he use the microwave or the stovetop?

“What was that, Lalonde? I think you were breaking up for a sec. It seemed like you were questioning my judgement.”

“That’s exactly what was happening.” The microwave it is.

“I’ve told you that I have this completely under control. I was serious. But if I need any help, you’ll be the first person to know.”

“You should let me assist you this weekend.” What? With John coming to play? Even if the chances he would get anywhere were slim, he wasn’t going to let her cockblock him. John could totally fall for him Friday night. Dave imagined him playing a love song and telling the crowd that it was dedicated to his favorite barista. After the show, he’d step down and ask the blonde if he wanted to see a more private show.

“Dave? Are you still there?” But he quickly stopped his daydreams from progressing.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m cooking. But I’ll be fine this weekend. Have a little faith in me for once. Jesus Christ.” Dave opened the microwave and rummaged through the disorganized drawers for a fork. “Unless you want to hear me talk with a mouthful of noodles, I’ll have to call you back later.”

“…Alright. Continue with your obstinate ways.”

“I love you too. Bye.” As soon as he pocketed his phone, he sat down in front of his computer with his bowl of noodles and a glass of juice. Dave hoped it wasn’t too soon to add Jade on Pesterchum.

 

\-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 17:53 --

TG: hey is this that jade chick  
TG: hopefully i got your weird ass chumhandle right  
TG: are you into science or something  
TG: you are a scientist bass player  
TG: mix me up some mad riffs in your lab yo  
TG: but seriously bass is cool  
TG: how long have you been playing  
EB: …dave?  
TG: did you give your handle to someone else today  
TG: im offended  
TG: i thought i was special  
TG: but now i know that im just one of the many baristas youve traded chumhandles with  
TG: thanks  
EB: jesus, you type really fast.  
EB: did you know that you were talking to yourself earlier? i wasn’t even at my computer.  
TG: well youre here now  
TG: so maybe we can get down to business  
EB: and what was that business again?  
EB: i totally forgot.  
TG: you were going to tell me about this john kid  
EB: i was going to tell you about john?  
TG: i dont know if you remember him  
TG: hes about 5’10”  
TG: black hair blue eyes  
TG: your brother  
EB: i know who john is, dumbass.  
EB: but what did you want to know?  
TG: you said he likes me a lot  
TG: what does that even mean  
EB: did i REALLY say that?  
EB: wow, sorry! sometimes i stretch the truth a little and tell people things that i shouldn’t.  
EB: i, jade harley, am a huge dummy.  
EB: but he thinks you’re ok.  
TG: thats a huge difference from liking me a lot  
EB: …  
EB: he likes you, i guess.  
TG: so hes totally homo for me  
TG: thats good to know  
EB: i never said that!  
EB: he doesn’t date guys.  
TG: not yet  
EB: oh my god. you’re really persistent, aren’t you?  
EB: i don’t know. maybe he finds you flattering sometimes.  
TG: he blushes and runs home  
TG: i think i knew that much  
EB: he might consider going on a date with you if he got to know you a little first.  
TG: because he thinks im hot  
EB: no.  
TG: so he doesnt think im hot  
TG: ???  
EB: i don’t know! i’ve never asked him.  
TG: ask right now  
EB: what?  
TG: youre his sister he will totally tell you  
TG: ask him if the barista from that coffee place was attractive  
TG: no make him rate me out of ten  
EB: why are you so interested in him?  
TG: because i  
TG: hold on ive never really thought about it  
TG: dont think im a sappy romantic or anything but i just feel drawn to him  
TG: something about him attracts me like a fly to shit  
TG: except hes not shit  
TG: ok maybe i should have used honey instead  
TG: but you get my point  
EB: yeah, alright.  
EB: you are quite the charmer.  
EB: i need to get ready for dinner though. and i’m not asking him that.  
TG: yeah ok thanks for the info  
EB: whatever, man.

\-- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 18:24--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, guys! I'm really surprised with the feedback I've received so far.  
> Also, I'd like to thank n_drangles for being my beta.


	4. Chapter 4

Foot traffic wasn’t bad for a Thursday morning. Dave served customer after customer, and he didn’t catch much of a break until noon. The day before hadn’t been bad either even though he spent most of it lost in his imagination.

He wondered if John was any good at piano as he prepared a woman her latte. Didn’t Jade say that he sang too? Damn, it must take some kind of talent to be able to do both at once. The most that the blonde could do while multi-tasking was texting and steering, and according to his driving record, he wasn’t the best at that.

“Piano,” he told the woman as he handed over her drink. It earned him a confused stare, and he quickly shook his head. “Piano? What? I mean, it’s three seventy. I’ve been off all day.” John was the only place his mind had been since yesterday, and it was starting to interfere with his work. He had to think of something else entirely. 

It was still a little over a couple of weeks until Bro was scheduled to return home. Dave thought he had been managing the place pretty well, considering nothing catastrophic had occurred so far. As long as he could get through sixteen more days without an angry mob waiting for him outside, everything would turn out fine.

It would be nice to have someone to help him though. Maybe he could put an ad up on Craigslist to find a person willing to work for two weeks. There had to be plenty of college students looking for a summer job. 

Dave had been so busy trying to distract himself that he didn’t notice when a particular blue-eyed man walked in until he approached the counter. He resisted the urge to break out into a huge grin. Maybe John wouldn’t realize how eager he was to see him again. 

“Are you here for another coffee? I guess you really do like it.” The blonde arched an eyebrow over his dark shades as he spoke. “Or maybe you really like me.” That last part unsurprisingly earned him an eyeroll.

“No, actually,” John said as he took a quick glance up at the menu. “I just wanted to make sure that we were still on for tomorrow night. And I may have forgot to see what time we were scheduled for.” The black-haired man rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged simultaneously. 

“Tomorrow night from nine to ten,” he replied after checking his logbook. In actuality, Dave didn’t need to check, but he didn’t want it to seem like he had John’s time memorized or anything. (He might have glanced at it more than once when he had nothing else to do.) “Is that okay, or is it past your bedtime?”

“That’s fine. It shouldn’t take more than five minutes to set up the bass amp,” he said. John lingered at the counter.

“Is that really all you came for? You could have called me.” Dave turned around to grab one of his business cards. He handed it out to John between his middle and index finger. After taking it, the other man stared at it uncertainly. 

“Is this phone number for the line here in the coffee shop?” John made a face. “You know, you should really have your cell on here too. Someone might need to reach you after hours.” He slid the card across the counter and back to Dave.

For a few seconds, the blonde just stared at it with a puzzled expression. Then it donned on him. Oh! He was asking for his number. Dave opened a drawer and fumbled for a pen before flipping the card over and jotting his digits on the back.

“I don’t know why anyone would need me after hours unless they’re having a coffee emergency. But there you go. Now you don’t have to come in every time you want to talk.” He held the card back out to him, and John inspected it with a little smile.

“More like ‘now I won’t have to come in every time I want to be sexually harassed.’” John shook his head, but he still held the tiny grin on his face.

“So you’re admitting that you want to be sexually harassed.”

“What? No! That’s not what I meant at all, Dave. You twisted my words around.” He frowned, and Dave felt his heart sink at the loss of his smile, and it was also a little at the fact that he wouldn’t admit to enjoying his flirting.

“So you don’t like it YET,” Dave said. John gave him a frustrated groan. “I think you should admit that you’re into me.”

“I’m not a… I’ve never been with a guy before, so it’s a little weird for you to be hitting on me. But I guess it’s flattering. Still, don’t you have someone better to bother?” John asked him. What was that? Was he admitting that he liked it?

Before he could respond, the door opened, and another customer walked in. Dave had caught the movement out of the corner of his eye, and it wasn’t until he actually looked over that he realized it was someone familiar. It was the worst time that his sister could come in. Dave straightened immediately from where he had been unconsciously leaning over the counter.

“Call me later,” Dave mumbled quietly before jerking his head over towards the door. John’s brows knitted together, and he turned look at Rose.

“Oh! Yeah, I shouldn’t keep you busy.” John glanced at the business card once more before slipping it into his pocket. “Um, I’ll talk to you later then. Bye, Dave.” Rose raised an eyebrow and looked him over as he stepped back from the counter and hurried out the door.

“Have you made a new friend?” She asked with a smirk. “I’m sure your brother would be proud. Dave Strider has finally learned how to socialize.”

“He’s just one of the new musicians that are coming in this weekend. He was asking about all of the specifics and shit,” Dave said with a shrug of his shoulders. “You want an Americano?” Before she could reply, he was already preparing her drink.

“Tell me. Do you stare at all of your musicians like that?” She looked smug, and Dave kind of wanted to strangle her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you recall what happened the last time you tried to seduce a customer? The loads of free drinks you gave him before he finally told you that he wasn’t interested?” There should have been a ‘no Lalonde’ policy at Drop the Bean.

“Yeah, I know. But this guy is different. Trust me,” he insisted. “And I’m not giving out free shit this time. No way. Bro got on my ass about it. Except that I might buy him a drink tomorrow night.” His sister’s smug expression faded, and she slowly shook her head. 

“Can you do me a favor and not tell him about this?” Dave added after a moment of quick thought. “The last thing I need is him bitching me out for it.”

“Just don’t be as disappointed as you were last time. He might only be interested because you got him a spot to play. How did you manage to fit him in so quickly?”

“Someone dropped out on Tuesday. But worry about me, Lalonde. I’m a big boy. I can handle myself.” He popped the lid on her coffee and slid it to her. “That’s on the house.”

Rose stood there with pursed lips while she thought about something. Dave expected her to give him some snarky comment about how he should have been better at picking up people, but what she actually said was surprisingly different. 

“Be cautious, please. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt again.” She grabbed her coffee with both hands. “Be wary, Dave. Things aren’t always as they appear.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep my eyes peeled if that’s what makes you happy.” That seemed to satisfy her. Rose started towards the door.

“Take care of yourself.”

 

Later that night, Dave sat in front of his computer. He had been waiting for two things: John to call him and Jade to go online. Missing either of them wasn’t an option, so he sat in the computer chair for hours. Only once did he get up, and that was to grab a snack from the pantry. Making dinner would come after his heart stopped beating so fast.

John had said that he would call him later, but maybe he didn’t actually mean it. It was already half past nine. Perhaps he had gotten busy with something else. Dave didn’t know why he was so nervous about it. This was just some guy that he met at the coffee shop. It’s not like he had to impress him or anything. 

Still, between bites of the granola bar that he had grabbed, he practiced answering the phone out loud.

“Hey. How are you?” No. It wasn’t good enough. That wasn’t going to get him anywhere.

“Yo. It took you long enough.” Actually, he didn’t want to make it seem like he had been waiting around all night.

“Sup?” Dave didn’t see anything wrong with that. It was simple and casual, and it was also pretty smooth. That would work.

After a while, he yawned and settled back into his chair. His eyes gradually fell shut. Maybe a five minute nap wouldn’t hurt anything. Or ten minutes. Or an hour. However, the blonde was jolted out of his sleep when he heard his Pesterchum ping. There was a new message from ectoBiologist. Dave sat up instantly and typed out a reply.

 

\-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 22:10 --  
EB: hey, dave!  
TG: yo have you heard from the dork lately  
EB: you mean john? yeah, we’ve been practicing all afternoon.   
EB: we’ve got a gig tomorrow night, remember?  
TG: oh  
TG: i was starting to think that you were never logging on again  
TG: i was close to dialing up the president  
TG: it would be declared a national emergency  
TG: holy shit jade isnt online she must be in trouble irl  
TG: get the national guard  
EB: wow, calm down.  
EB: i’m exhausted though. maybe we can talk before the show tomorrow?  
TG: yeah i guess  
TG: i thought john was going to call me though  
TG: did he mention anything about that  
EB: oh shit!  
EB: yeah, he did. but he totally forgot.   
EB: i just sent him a text though. don’t worry!  
TG: i wasnt worrying to begin with  
EB: sure.  
TG: oh and before you go  
TG: i was thinking about making a move on him after the show tomorrow night  
TG: you know asking him to the movies or something  
TG: what do you think the success rate would be  
TG: 100% or 100%  
EB: hm. probably 50/50. it depends how he’s feeling.  
EB: maybe you could woo him without the stupid pick-up lines.  
TG: ok then  
TG: ill talk to you later  
\-- turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 22:16—

 

Before Dave had the time to process anything Jade had told him, his cell phone rang. It was an unknown number. Fuck, that was fast. The blonde took a deep, calming breath before picking up the line. He used his practiced greeting. “Sup?”

“Is this Dave or the nineties?” Goddamn it. He was supposed to be smooth.

“You’ve reached Dave Strider. Sorry I can’t make it to the phone right now. If you’re a douche with blue eyes that waits until I’m about to go to bed before calling me, I’m sure you can try me again tomorrow.”

“Hey, I was practicing. You’re lucky I’m even trying to talk to you after all the strain I’ve put on my vocal chords. Singing is hard.”

“Yeah, he’s still not here. Maybe you could leave his nineties ass a message after the tone.” Dave put a hand to his mouth as he yawned.

“Why did I call you again?”

“I think we were talking about how you like it when I flirt with you,” Dave said. He dropped pretending to be an answering machine. Dropped it like it was hot.

“I don’t think I said that. In fact, I’m sure that I didn’t say that at all. I think you’re confused, man. It’s all the coffee you drink.”

“Whatever. It’s impossible to resist my Strider charm,” he told him. Then, Dave got serious. “But really, I’m curious. Am I wasting my time here on something that’s never going to happen?”

The line was silent. At first, he thought John had hung up. Dave checked and, no, he was still connected. Fuck John for making him wait when he had asked something like that. His heart was going to break through his chest. “Well?”

“I don’t know. I just met you a little over a week ago! Give me some time to think about it.” Oh. That basically meant he didn’t want to reject him. He should probably try to get over him. Dave was stupid for thinking he had a chance to begin with.

“Yeah. Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Wait! Dave, I really meant that. Don’t stop, ok? Really, I don’t mind the dumb flirting. It’s kind of… cute sometimes. Don’t sound so let down.” Dave smiled at how he hesitated with the word.

“Yeah, I really need to go though. I haven’t ate anything.” John had called him cute. John thought the flirting was cute. John was cute.

“Right. Good night, Dave!”

“Later.”

Dave slept easy that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I expect the next one to be a little longer, mainly because it's going to cover Friday night.
> 
> Oh, and if you'd like to follow me on tumblr, I'm echotone.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

The stage was lined with little warm candles, providing a warm glow to the pianist on stage. Dave swore that his blue eyes were illuminated in the dim light. He watched from the counter as an enchanting and slow piano riff was played. Both of John’s hands ran up and down the keys skillfully, and Dave knew that he was in love.

“This next song goes out to someone very special to me,” John began, speaking into the microphone positioned by his piano, “I think he knows who he is.” The blonde’s heart melted in his chest as the ebony-haired man met his eyes and gave him a little grin. He swore that he even winked at him.

“In fact… Dave, can you come up here?” For some reason, Dave couldn’t bring himself to be embarrassed as he wondered up to the stage. John moved over to he could sit next to him on the piano bench. 

“I love you,” Dave whispered to him. The other man’s smile widened warmly.

“I love you, Dave,” John spoke into the microphone before he started playing a charming melody. He loved him back. He really loved him.  
Dave interrupted his playing to grab John’s face with both hands. He pressed their lips together, and the other man instantly responded, his hands going to rest on Dave’s arms as their lips moved together perfectly. He could feel John’s slow and calm breathing as he struggled to get closer to him. John’s tongue traced his bottom lip, sending a shiver down his spine.

A deep moan came from John’s throat, and things quickly escalated. Dave felt his own heart beat rapidly in his chest as the other man reclined back on the piano bench and spread his legs wide. He could make out the lump pressing against the front of his jeans. And whoa, where did his shirt go? His eyes scanned over his taut torso, and Dave licked his lips.

John was built. He would have never guessed it, but he was. Even in the dim glow of the candles around the stage, he could tell how much the man had worked for his fine chest. Honestly, Dave should have been jealous, but his lust outweighed any envy.

Just as the blonde leaned down to help John remove his pants, an annoying buzzer went off in his ears. It took him a moment to put together where it was coming from exactly. Then, everything went black. “…Fuck.”

With a groan, Dave blinked open his eyes and quickly rolled over to shut his goddamn alarm off. Without a doubt, that had been the sappiest dream he had ever had. He had been so close to seeing John’s junk too.

The blonde man was zoned out for the rest of the morning. All he could really concentrate on was the fact that John would be there tonight. For at least an hour. Fuck, he had never seen him for more than fifteen minutes at a time.

He wondered little things about him. Did John sleep on the right or left side of the bed? What hobbies did he have? What was his favorite food? How long did it take for him to fall asleep at night?

But at the same time, he also wondered bigger things. Would the guy even consider being in a homo relationship? Would his family approve? Maybe John WAS trying to use him to get something else. Dave shoved that last thought out of his mind completely as he served customer after customer.

 

It seemed like it took days to get to four in the afternoon. When it finally arrived, the blonde man slumped over the counter. It had been a really long week. All he wanted to do was go home, make a quick dinner, chill, and then come back to set up the sound equipment for the night. And that was exactly what he did.

But his plans got changed. As he locked the doors to the shop, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Without even turning around, he started to smile. John had probably come to the coffee shop to ask more about tonight. In actuality, it was just because he wanted to see Dave though.

When he turned around to face him, his grin slowly faded. Oh. It was Jade. Still, it wasn’t bad. He considered Jade a friend with how much he had spoken to her over the internet.

“Sup? If you want coffee, you’ll have to come back later. We’re closed, and there’s no amount of money that could get me to open these doors again. Not even Snoop Dogg could stop me from getting home and chilling the fuck out,” he told her as he pocketed his keys and leaned back against the locked doors. “You’re about thirty seconds too late, Jade.”

She rolled her eyes behind her big, circular frames. “I’m not here for coffee, you goof. We’re going to grab dinner together.” The blonde man arched an eyebrow.

“Since when?”

“Since now! Come on, I’ll buy you Chinese. We need to talk about something, and I won’t be taking ‘no’ for an answer.” She looped an arm around him and pulled Dave over towards her car. “This is important.”

“If it’s so goddamn important, why can’t you just tell me here?” He asked, but he didn’t resist her. Her car was nicer than his own, and he wasn’t about to reject free food. As long as he was back to set up at six, there wouldn’t be any problems.

“Because. You’ll see.” Her vagueness kind of annoyed him. With a shrug, he went along with it though. Dave didn’t realize how important it actually was until he was sitting across from her in a booth with chopsticks to his lips.

“So what you’re saying is…” The man set his wooden chopsticks down beside his bowl and leaned forward on his elbows. “And I’m just verifying what you’ve told me. But are you telling me that I’ve been talking to John this whole time? You gave me John’s handle?”

“It was a joke! I didn’t think he would actually go along with it for this long. But I guess his stupid prankster’s gambit got away with him.” She stared with tight lips down at her rice. “He let it slip that he had been talking to you at rehearsal. I wasn’t going to let him keep being a jerk.”

“Oh my god.” Dave put his face in his hands. Now, John knew that he was going to make a move on him tonight. In fact, he had told that to John himself. He was such a fucking idiot.

“And I told him to tell you! But I knew he wasn’t going to do that on his own.” She offered him a sympathetic frown. “I’m really sorry, Dave. I can give you my actual handle if it’ll help anything.” Without waiting for his reply, Jade scribbled something on a napkin and pushed it towards Dave. ‘gardenGnostic,’ it read in swirly lettering.

“Thanks.” He took the scribble and gave her a forced, half-hearted smile. “But this really fucks up my plan. Now he knows that I’m going to make a move on him tonight. I’m sure it’ll be a huge surprise when I ask him if he’s free Monday night.”

“But he doesn’t know that you know that he knows!” Jade pointed out with an eager expression. “And really, it’s totally obvious that you’re into him anyway. I know it’s totally my fault that you’re in this position, but I’m going to make everything great! I can be your super secret insider on John. Like a spy! That meanie deserves it after what he’s put you through.”

“What the fuck is his problem? I’m trying. I’m trying harder than I should even. But he’s not giving me any signs. Is he into me? Is he just wanting a weekly gig? Does he just like my coffee? Usually, I’m better at reading people than this, but he’s just not giving me any real feedback. It’s like he’s intentionally leading me on.” Dave grabbed his chopsticks and resumed eating.

“He…” She bit her lip and looked away for a couple of seconds. “It’s not you. He’s just…” Jade’s brows furrowed, like she was getting irritated at herself for not knowing how to put it. “He does this to everyone that shows any interest in him. He’s really scared of getting close to people romantically. Honestly, he’d rather be your best friend or a friend with benefits. And it’s not because you’re a guy either.”

“Well, why is it then? I’m pulling every trick in the book on this guy.”

“He had this really bad relationship in high school, and he hasn’t dated anyone since.” She shrugged her shoulders. 

“That’s bullshit. Everyone has bad relationships in high school. He needs to get the fuck over it and move on.” 

“No! You don’t understand, Dave. It was really bad. She… Look, it’s really none of your business! If you want to know about it so bad, ask him yourself.” Jade looked mad again, but this time it was directed at the man sitting across from her in the booth. “If you want to get with him, it’s going to take more than a few stupid pickup lines, you jackass!”

“…Oh.” He really didn’t know what to say. The wrath of Jade was a pretty scary thing to face. He took one last sip from his water, left a ten on the table, and he moved to stand. “Thanks, Jade. I’ll have to change my tactic then.”

Her grimace quickly faded, and she grabbed onto the blonde’s wrist as he started to get up. “Wait. I’m on your side. I just don’t want to see this work and then watch his feelings get hurt again. Why do you even want him anyway?”

The question had caught him off guard. He sat down again and thought before giving an answer. Why DID he want to be with him? He could get with almost anyone else. It would be a lot easier on him too. The answer came to him as he spoke.

“He doesn’t let me flirt with him. People don’t usually do that. He’s a challenge. But… That all it was at first. Now, he seems really interesting. I want to know everything about him. I want to write his biography. I want to film a documentary on him but not in a creepy, stalker way.”

“And his smile… I love it.” He wanted to be the reason for it. He wanted to hold his hand and make him comfortable with dating again because John was fucking attractive, and it was sin for him not to be with someone. Maybe he won’t end up with Dave, but he wanted him to know that John makes someone happy to be alive. He should wake up in the morning and feel loved because that’s what he deserved. Dave didn’t care what he had done in the past. He just wanted to give him the chance to move on.

Overall, he was glad that he didn’t say most of that out loud. The blonde didn’t want to come off as some poetic, emotional douche. 

She stared at him incredulously. Then, she gradually gained a smile and giggled. “His smile? I didn’t know you were so sentimental.”

“Yeah… Me either.”

“But you hardly know him,” she pointed out. “And you’re totally lovesick for him. It’s not going to be easy for either of you.”

His mouth felt really dry. Dave took another sip of his drink. “I know. This is ridiculous. I’m acting like an infatuated thirteen year old. But I want him.”

Jade’s smile only widened. “Well, good luck! Good luck to both of you. John really needs someone who’s persistent.” 

The blonde man nodded slowly before he stood again. “I’ll see you all tonight. Have fun with your bass or whatever.”

“Pft! Have fun with your bar or whatever.” 

He thanked her and left. Suddenly, there was a lot on his mind.

 

Dave thought while he kept his hands busy setting up microphones, amps, and readjusting tables. A free beer wasn’t going to win John over after all. He had to get a different tactic. Maybe he could ask him out to dinner as two guys getting to know each other better. That could work, right?  
Maybe he needed help.

That help came in the form of him calling his sister. The man pursed his lips, hoping that she wouldn’t give him grief over this. The phone rang three times before she picked up. “Hello, Dave.”

“Hey, Lalonde. I know you’re going to have a field day with this shit, but I actually need your advice on something.” The blonde cradled the phone to his ear while he tightened up a mic stand. “And save the snark for someone else this time.”

“What? No ‘how are you doing?’ I suppose we can jump right into the main course of the conversation before the drinks have been handed out. What has been troubling you?”

“How the fuck do I go about hooking up with a guy that has commitment issues? Is there some kind of spell I can cast on him? A magic word? Some hocus pocus bullshit?”

“I know that you can’t control who your heart longs for, but I would advise against that. He has to learn how to heal himself before he tries to get into a proper relationship.” Dave nearly groaned in frustration.

“Okay, but pretend I don’t care about that. I really want this.”

“Then I would tell you to be careful and go slow. Ease him into the idea. You could become friends with him first. I could give you a better idea of what to do if I knew the reasoning behind his fear of relationships, but most apprehension comes from the idea of getting hurt in the end. If you build off of the base of being friends first, he won’t fear losing you, and he will be more willing to try something else down the road.”

“Yeah, but I’m in a hurry.”

“Slow down then.” Dave rolled his eyes. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. He wanted him now, goddamn it.

“Thanks for the advice, Lalonde, but I can’t stay and chat. I’ve got shit to set up for tonight, you know,” he said as he sat on the edge of the stage and swung his feet back and forth. “But I appreciate the lack of sarcasm for once.”

“I can assure you that I’ll be there. Good bye.” With that, she hung up. Oh, shit.

So now his sister, a psychology student and a facetious broad, was going to be there. He sighed and slowly stood as he slipped his cell phone back into his pocket. Deep in the pit of his stomach, he got the feeling that it was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to make Friday night into one chapter. And that will be next!


End file.
